In today’s news roundup:
- Reports emerge of attacks in several Russian regions bordering Ukraine, as fighting spills over from the Ukrainian border into Russian territory.
- The British Prime Minister expresses support for Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO, stating that it is the legitimate territory of the alliance.
- U.S. President Joe Biden stumbles but quickly recovers after presenting diplomas at a graduation ceremony held at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.
- The U.S. Senate passes a bill with a vote of 63 to 36 to extend the debt ceiling and implement government spending cuts for a two-year period. The bill awaits President Joe Biden’s signature to become law.
- Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announces plans to bring employees back to the office for three days a week, starting in September.
- The U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon) finalizes a contract to purchase SpaceX’s Starlink satellite communications service, which will provide satellite support to Ukraine.
- Apple denies allegations made by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) that it collaborated with American spies to spy on Russian iPhone users, emphasizing that the company has never interfered in any country’s domestic affairs.
- Australia’s Fair Work Commission (FWC) announces a 5.75% increase in the minimum wage, effective from July 1.
- Heavy rain and Typhoon Mawar affect various parts of Japan, leading authorities to issue evacuation advisories to tens of thousands of people.
- The ongoing dispute between the United States and China raises concerns about the atmosphere at the Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) security meeting in Singapore, with attention focused on whether China’s Defense Minister and the U.S. Defense Secretary will have an informal meeting outside the conference.
- South Korea imposes new sanctions on the North Korean hacker group Kimsuky, allegedly involved in North Korea’s recent satellite launch attempt.
- Apple plans to expand and revamp its retail stores, with a focus on increasing its presence in China and other parts of Asia, as well as improving its stores in the U.S. and Europe.
- Microsoft, a prominent U.S. technology and software company, agrees to invest significant funds to meet the growing demand for artificial intelligence (AI) services as part of its partnership with OpenAI, the owner of ChatGPT.